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Home , Danny Blind, Jonas Hector, Mats Hummels, Toni Kroos

SoccerNews Issue # 5, 09th September 2015

Continental/Division Tires Alexander Bahlmann Phone: +49 511 938 2615 Head of Media & Public Relations PLT E-Mail: [email protected] Buettnerstraße 25 | 30165 Hannover www.contisoccerworld.de Soccer News # 5/2015 2

News Loew’s especial delight – “The team have sur- prised me”

Everything is fine again. The World Cup champions are back at the top. A stressful situation has been overcome and the weak pre-season has been corrected. Just one point is still required to ascertain participation at the 2016 European Championship. The aim is a fourth title for the German Football Association (DFB), says Joachim Loew, who The joy of World champions: Jerome Boateng, , , scorer Thomas Müller, , Mesut Özil (from left) celebrate a goal during the 3-2 over Scotland. Photo: Imago showed his extreme happiness in Glasgow. world’s oldest stadium, greatly impressed him opposite number Gordon Strachan triggered translated the specifications within two, three with its unique atmosphere and deafening satisfaction with Loew, because it characterised days”, Loew said. He had not reckoned with When Lufthansa flight LH 343 took off for level of Scottish chants. But Glasgow was not his team’s special hallmark so well, and it that after the scruffy season which followed home, the German national coach looked just a simple competitive international match, came from a former world-class player. But the the winning of the title in Rio. “But when all back on the intensity of the past few days – 3-1 although the conclusion was as planned ticked national coach also had a special moment of are together, everything happens faster than against Poland, 3-2 against Scotland. He had off, duty done. pleasure. The 55-year-old was astonished by I thought”. A week ago at their get-together not only expected six points to gain first place his team; totally amazed how good it was – in Frankfurt Loew had straightened out ‘two, in the qualification group for EURO 2016, but “The Germans are rightly world champions, for especially without the customary weeks of three things we must urgently correct’. But he had demanded it as a matter of course they play a fantastic passing game, even when training as prior to major tournaments. the German national team, the World Cup from the national team. Hampden Park, the under pressure”. The praise from his coaching “I am really surprised how quickly the team champions, simply are a representative team Soccer News # 5/2015 3

France with a win in and first place in sued a warning, especially for World Cup the group”, Loew explained. Three days later champions Mesut Oezil and Bastian the European Championship qualification will Schweinsteiger, who no longer perform on be concluded with the match against Georgia their previous level, that regular places must in Leipzig. Loew talks about winning the be constantly defended. fourth European title for the DFB in Paris next summer. “We want to emboss a new era”, said Jerome Boateng. The central defender, who News has been in top form for more than a year, reiterated Loew. Spain, the 2008 and 2012 European and 2010 World champions, are the Friendly in Hanover on example for the German national coach with November 17 without Holland? these three successive titles. But with one all- important difference: the German triple title haul would be World-European-World. “We are going to the European Championship without Holland!” The German fans chanted In Glasgow Loew emphasised however, that their favourite slogan in Glasgow during the the current team are still far from being ideal. World Cup champions’ 3-2 victory over Scot- “I never plan with that at such an early time”, land, but the issue entails some complications he said. He still has ten months until the start for the German Football Association (DFB). of the European Championship. He wants An international friendly between the German to see and in his national team and the has been regular team. And he made it clear that Emre scheduled for November 17 (Tuesday) in Can was just “cast” in the last two matches, Hanover. But the Dutch may well be unavail- which means a screening test for him in the able on that date, as they could have to con- unusual position of right defender under test the play-offs. competitive conditions. The Liverpool FC mid- fielder passed tolerably against Poland, but It depends on whether the currently fourth- against Scotland he was the weakest player. placed in their group win their last two mat- Tough battle for the German team during the 3-1 win against Poland: Mats Hummels “handles” Robert His mistakes led to both conceded goals, but ches against Kazakhstan and the Czech Lewandowski (centre). Jerome Boateng and watch spellbound. Photo: Getty Images he assisted with the goal for 2-1. “Naturally Republic. So the Czechs, as well as the Ice- there is room for improvement, and of course landers, with both already qualified for EURO with, particularly in the past season, regular punch, however. And in defence, there are still we must attend to him”, said Loew. It seems 2016, would have to assist the Dutch with changes in the squad and without permanent many problems, particularly with set-pieces. clear that other candidates such as Matthias wins against Turkey. Consequently the deci- training sessions together. However, the enthusiasm shown by the na- Ginter, and Tony Ruediger will sion whether the international in Hanover can tional team in Frankfurt and Glasgow proved be tested again in the future. On the left side, be held against the requested opponents, will Loew is striving for the title hat-trick that the World Cup champion team still lives. however, Jonas Hector continued to collect have to wait until October 13. Only if the “Oranje” World-European-World One point is still needed to automatically points for a regular place with his respectable, team, a year ago the World Cup bronze med- As against Poland, they intermittently showed compete in France between June 10 and July safety-intent game. The battle for the places allists, cannot exploit their opportunity to in Scotland their offensive strength with extra- 10, 2016. “A draw in Ireland in October will do, 1-14 has started in the team. A good example finish in third place in the group, will the pres- class combinations, but still lacked the killer but our aim is of course to book the ticket to is the recovery of Ilkay Guendogan who is- tigious game against take place. Soccer News # 5/2015 4

ALLEZ BOOM!

Limp, limp, limp

Your correspondent discovers absurd simi- larities between Mannheim, Iceland and Asterix. And he’s also realized the true meaning of “nether lands”. by Freddy Boom

We interrupt this PDF program to bring you some breaking news that’s just occurred to me. And I crave your indulgence if you don’t get my drift right away. Fancy a few lines on Ger- many’s performance? Or England’s qualification? Right, then: Götze, one-nil; Rooney, two-nil; blah, blah, rhubarb, rhubarb. That’s all I have time for on that front today, but bear with me – you won’t regret it. Because the news is that Waldhof The fans in Iceland (population: 300,000 humans and 80,000 horses) have plenty to smile about: they’ve booked their tickets to France for next Mannheim have qualified for the 2016 UEFA European Cham- year’s Euros! Photo: Visit Iceland pionship in France. “Waldhof who?” I hear our readers from outside Germany say. By way of explanation, I’ll just don my hat as Professor of Sports Sciences at the University of Soccer congratulatory provincial smugness – pardon my French, dear legendary words (with a little translator’s license): “I feel so limp, News Editorials and conduct an instant seminar on “German natives of Mannheim – and above all, of footballing mediocrity oh limp, oh limp.” football culture in the 1980s, as reflected in the harsh reality “par excellence”, as those of us with French grandmothers like to of the lower amateur divisions”. say. In days of old, when Mannheim – pronounced “Mannem” by Do you catch my drift, O students of footballing culture? For the locals – were still playing in the lofty heights of the Bundes- this is the last bend in the long and winding road we have No, please don’t switch channels or download a different PDF, liga, back in the dim and distant Eighties, their trainer was a traveled together to catch up with recent events in the EURO for what you are about to receive is the kind of exclusive know- certain Klaus Schlappner, nicknamed “Schlappi” (roughly trans- 2016 qualifiers. As anyone who has ever played football knows, ledge that will guarantee you free drinks all night at the next latable as “The Limp One”), whose rotund, ruddy visage topped it isn’t always possible to take the direct route to goal. But be trivia pub quiz. As you may or may not be aware, SV Waldhof by his trademark tartan trilby put one in mind of nothing so that as it may, Mannheim has a population of about 300,000, Mannheim 07 are now languishing in a division called Region- much as an amateur angler, heading for a quiet day by the river. a modest pool of talent from which Waldhof manages to recruit alliga Südwest, which is the fourth tier of German football, hav- If you’d seen the guy, and know your Asterix, then you couldn’t a team that can hold its own in the twilight zone between ing previously sunk as low as – and won promotion from – the help thinking of the seriously paunchy Roman prefect Surplus the fourth and fifth divisions. Iceland, meanwhile, is a country fifth tier. You should also know that Waldhof Mannheim are the Dairyprodus from “The Golden Sickle”, who we see reclining on short on trees and with temperatures that rarely reach double nodding dachshund on the parcel shelf of German football’s a chaise longue (those French words are everywhere!), slurping figures, but long on diminutive horses, hot springs (“geysers”), family saloon. A symbol of homeliness, bourgeois bliss, self- at a roast chicken leg and, bored out of his mind, uttering the the world’s largest natural blast-furnaces (“volcanoes”) and a Soccer News # 5/2015 5

Quote of the day

A beer tonight would The reality speaks be nice. for itself.

Iceland’s national trainer Heimir Hallgrímsson after their 1-0 victory in the Netherlands. Danny Blind, after Holland lost to Iceland in his first game as Bondscoach – probably thinking the same thing as his Icelandic counterpart, but for different reasons. rugged lava-strewn landscape that NASA, Neil Paris next summer. Which is a bit like Waldhof it was calculated that the value of 1 Ronaldo given to SoccerNews after the Netherlands’ Armstrong and some other geezers (sorry) Mannheim thrashing Real Madrid in the final at today’s exchange rate is equivalent to 18.4 3-0 drubbing by Turkey, Danny Blind – admit- used as a training ground for the first moon of the Champions League, or qualifying for the tonnes of 50-euro bills, 4 Airbus 380 airliners, tedly not slurping at a roast chicken leg, but landing. Like Mannheim, Iceland too boasts a UEFA Euros, come to that. Vive le sport! 9,090 Porsche 911 Targas or 100 million probably seeking a potent source of Dutch population of about 300,000 (plus 80,000 tubes of hair gel, depending on your personal courage – was heard to say: “I feel so limp, oh horses), and it is a team drawn from this mod- Oh, and talking of Real, or rather Real Life: the requirements. And this piece of priceless infor- limp, oh limp.” est pool of talent that has inflicted defeat not plain truth these days seems to be that foot- mation brings a quantum of solace, if not to once, but twice, on Holland – the team rated ballers are worth more than the stadia whose Holland’s new Bonds-coach Danny Blind, then PS: Sorry, I almost forgot to mention that San number three in Europe – in the current se- hallowed turf they grace. Even Belgians are at least to your friendly local football fan, Mon- Marino’s goal in their 2-1 defeat at the hands of ries of Euro qualifiers. The 1-0 home defeat now being bought and sold for the kind of sieur Freddy Boom. What a relief it is to know Lithuania on Tuesday evening marked the first in Amsterdam dumped the Netherlands in money that extra-terrestrials like Messi or Ron- that an ordinary but well trained bunch of lads time in 14 years that they had found the back the nether-lands of the group table (excuse aldo would fetch in an intergalactic end-of-the- descended from the Vikings and with a col- of the net in an away game, ending a run of 37 the politically incorrect play on words, see- universe sale. And while we’re on the subject lective market value equivalent to five trawler- goalless (at least for San Marino) matches on voo-play). This was also the first time in 52 of vast sums of cash, here’s a journalistic gem loads of mackerel, can have the rest of Europe foreign soil. It was also their first goal in their years that Holland had come off worse in a I unearthed recently and can’t resist sharing quaking in their (football) boots. current bid to qualify, pushing up their goal European Championship qualifier at home. with you. Following the official announcement difference to a mere minus 26. Whatever next, So after pillaging a 0-0 draw against Kazakh- that, if should ever leave As if that were not enough, here’s yet another I hear you say? I’m backing them to qualify for stan, the plucky band of Vikings from near Real Madrid, the contractually agreed transfer exclusive scoop for you: at the edge of the the 2018 World Cup in Russia. But only they the Arctic Circle will be joining the party in fee would be a staggering one billion euros, microphone range, following an interview not get drawn in the same group as Holland. Soccer News # 5/2015 6

News format. British nations in particular for, in ad- dition to England, Wales and Northern Ireland England celebrate EURO may also start planning. The Welsh, centred around 100-million-man Gareth Bale, had to participation and Rooney record delay their European Championship party after a goalless draw with Israel. But the top More than 75,000 fans made the pilgrimage to team in Group B should gain the needed the great EURO party at the revered Wembley point in their concluding home match against Stadium, and celebrated a new goal-scoring Andorra. record by & Co. during the un- important match against Switzerland (2-0) on The initial position for Northern Ireland in Tuesday evening. Euphoria has returned to the Group F is similar, as they hold a four-point home of football, England, as the team of team advantage over third-placed Hungary. A late manager Roy Hodgson had already booked equaliser by Kyle Lafferty to make it 1-1 against the ticket to the European Championship in the Magyars in added time was very valuable. France three days earlier when beating San “Kyle who?”, they will ask at Norwich City. The Marino 6-0 and achieving the optimum with striker has not yet played a single minute with seven wins from seven matches. the Premier League club this season, but he has scored seven goals for Northern Ireland. A year ago such enthusiasm was hardly in A fourth team could join the three teams from the mind. The elimination of the “Three Lions” the British Isles. In Group D, topped by Germany, after the first round at the World Cup in Brazil either Scotland or neighbours Ireland might was accompanied by scoff and mockery in reach at least a play-off place. the over critical press, and ticket sales for in- ternational matches plummeted. Now comes And the big ones? Title holders Spain need no the reconciliation, with Rooney playing a major England will compete at EURO 2016. Wayne Rooney scored his 50th international goal from the penalty spot longer worry after a 1-0 win in Macedonia, and part. The star Manchester United striker scored past Yann Sommer during the 2-0 win over Switzerland at Wembley. Photo: Imago the same holds true for European runners-up seven goals in the current qualification. His last Italy, even though the “Squadra Azzurra” did goal was his 50th in a national shirt, overtaking not overly impress their own fans with two legend Sir Bobby Charlton as the record goal- the team representing the 330,000 Icelandic Attention is drawn to the qualification of the below par 1-0 wins against Malta and Bulgaria. scorer. And Rooney immediately declared his people for a major tournament for the first so-called small nations. Such as Austria, who As long as 37-year-old veteran goalkeeper love for team England: “I will play for England time ever. The head of government Sigmundur in Group G actively qualified for a European , who earned his 150th cap, as long as the coach wants me”. David Gunnlaugsson even considered declar- Championship for the first time, with an ex- continues to save the day, the minimalist tac- ing that red-letter day of September 6 a nation- hilarating 4-1 victory in Sweden. In 2008 the tics may well work out in the future – possibly The footballers of Iceland have also earned al holiday. But the 1-0 win over the wobbling Alpine republic was a co-host so automatically also in France. It’s quite certain that World legendary status. They ascertained their place, World Cup bronze medallists Netherlands was qualified for their first ever European Champi- Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, and World Cup together with the Czech Republic in Group much more remarkable. The hot favourites suf- onship participation. champions Germany, will also be there. After A, among the 24-team field at the European fered even worse with a follow-up 3-0 defeat in a 1-0 win in Albania his Portugal need just one Championship. A rather unspectacular goalless Turkey, meaning the Oranje can’t even reach a And further outsiders are knocking on the more point. draw with Kazakhstan was sufficient to qualify play-off place on their own. EURO door – also thanks to the new 24-team Soccer News # 5/2015 7

Did you know ... tested, eleven proved sub-standard: “Tubular frames folded into just so much scrap metal ... that in Luxembourg child car seats are or simply broke and smashed into the front seat, child and all,” wrote the testers. mandatory even for 17 year-olds? By the way, Luxembourg is not the only EU member with, let’s say, unusual road traffic It’s tough being a teenager in the Grand Duchy of Luxem- regulations. In Spain, dogs traveling by car bourg, but only if you happen to measure less than 150 cm must also belt up. Truth to tell, however, local from head to toe and want to travel by car. „Children up driver’s pay little attention to this piece of to the age of 17 who are less than 150 cm tall may only be legislation. If you’ve ever taken to the road transported in an appropriate child safety seat,” write German between Asturias and Andalusia, the chances automobile club AvD, warning their members heading for Lux- are you won’t have seen many harnessed embourg. Just short of voting age but strapped into a child car hounds en route. seat? It sounds so incredible that car hire firms like Sixt make a point of spelling it out to their customers, referring to “special regulations” that apply in the EU’s second-smallest member state: “Even up to the age of 17, children require a suitable child car seat if they are smaller than 150 cm.” Fortunately, not every European country makes traveling by car so potentially em- barrassing for adolescents. In Germany, for example, Section 21 of the Road Traffic Act prescribes that children up to the age of 12 and less than 150 cm tall may only be transported by car in “child retention systems (child safety seats)”.

It was in Germany, incidentally, that the world’s first child safety seat was created. Called “Niki”, the seat launched by manu- facturer Storchenmühle in 1963 had little in common with modern day child retention systems – not in terms of design and certainly not in terms of safety. Long before the advent of the Isofix or Latch era, Niki, which had no head restraint, relied on twin metal brackets that hooked over the back of the rear In 1963, Storchenmühle launched “Niki”, the world’s seat. Black humor it may be, but the choice of names like “Ast- first child car seat. Photo: Recaro ronaut” and “Astro Jet” for later models may not have been too far off the mark. Because in the event of an accident there was no guarantee that the whole contraption, including the child, would not fly off the back seat. In 1973, German consumer watchdog Stiftung Warentest subjected all child safety seats In 1973, consumer watchdog Stiftung Warentest published the findings of the first ever of the day to a comparative test and published the results un- child car seat test. No wonder the young man in the mock-up photo is wearing a helmet – der the headline “From Safety to Scrap Metal”. Of the 15 seats most of the seats were only good for scrap metal after the test. Photo: Test Soccer News # 5/2015 8

SOS

NOTRUF AKTIVIERT

SSIIE SIND MIT DER NOTRUFZENTRALE VVEERBUNDEN

BITTE SPRECHEN SSIIE JETZT

SOS

SOS

Surfing via streetlight: Streetlights that act as WiFi hotspots would make for widespread Internet access. Photo: EnBW

Did you know ... hours, the base of the actual lantern, lowered full height and two LED panels unfurl, provi- needed in alone. And instead of setting to shoulder height, acts as a WiFi hotspot, of- ding the necessary light sources. If required, up these charging points in town centers at ... that in Germany you can use a fering public access to the Internet. The lower the lantern can also be fitted with sensors €10,000 a shot, the multifunctional streetlight streetlight to surf the Net? section of the mast will feature a conventional that measure noise, particulates, barometric could hold the key. Most streetlights are located domestic-style power socket and a three-phase pressure, humidity or temperature. This new right where cars are parked – by the side of charging point with rapid-charging functiona- streetlight concept is currently being tested in the road. So what could be more obvious The smart streetlight of the future will be lity at up to 22 kW, enabling both electric cars several German towns. than to recharge them with energy straight a real all-rounder, capable of just about and e-bikes to top up with power. There will from the lampposts? Berlin-based start-up anything, except perhaps making a cup of tea. also be an emergency call button with which Right now there are some 20,000 electric Ubricity originally came up with the idea of At the upcoming International Motor Show to contact the nearest emergency services cars on Germany’s roads and according using streetlights as charging points back in (IAA) in Frankfurt, energy utility EnBW will be dispatcher for rapid assistance. At the same to government forecasts there should be 2007. And the additional functionalities of the presenting a smart streetlight concept by the time the top of the mast will start glowing one million of them by 2020. The biggest Sm!ght concept, not least its WiFi connectivity, unlikely name of “Sm!ght”. Behind the name like a beacon to guide the rescue services. At obstacle to achieving this goal at present is could also help drive forward other topical is a streetlight that can do a whole lot more night the lantern itself comes into its own. As the inadequate recharging infrastructure. By issues such as automated driving. than light up a dark roadway. During daylight dusk begins to fall the mast telescopes to its 2025 some 7,000 charging stations will be